Hello again!
I'm trying to renew the upper and lower ball joints on my 71' duster and am having a little trouble. I got the bottom one on easy enough, but the top one is an enigma. It took alot of umph to unscrew it and when I replaced it I found that there is a 3/4 inch gap in between the upper spindle and the A-frame. Also, I was wondering if its normal for the head of the upper ball joint to continously turn and not tighten down. Apparently there is no torque on either one of these bolts: (1) upper head bolt to the ball joint (2) the one that goes into the ball joint and ties into the spindle. If one of you can please give me some hints I would appreciate it!
Thanks, Bill

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Don't ever take a fence down until you know why it was put up.
-Robert Frost (1874-1963)

Huh? You lost me there, my friend.

D/W

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If it ain't broke, fix it!

im pretty sure i understand what problem youre having... the upper ball joint is spinning when you try to tighten the nut... the best way to get it to tighten is to use an air impact. itll go right on easily. if you dont have access to an air impact try and get an assistant to pry down on the upper a arm so the ball joint is pushed into the spindle. this should hopefully "hold" the ball joint so you can turn the nut. if the lower control arm is sagging real low you may have to jack it up some so you can pry the upper a arm down low enough... as for the "uper head bolt to the ball joint" im not too sure what youre talking about. try and clarify so maybe someone else can chime in?

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"I don't like these seatbelts, they're too complicated." - my lovely girlfriend in reference to my 71 duster seatbelts

The ubj tightens into the uca at approx 175 ft lbs if I rcmember right. If the bj is turning in the control and not tightening down you have a stripped uca. The gap between the ubj and the spindle do you have the grease boot in there. Force the spindle and ubj together hard enough and you'll be able to tighten the castle nut. The torque spec for the ubj to spindle nut is kinda sorta random. I always use a wrench and tighten it TIGHT and keep tightening until the cotter pin hole lines up. Do not loosen the nut to line up the hole. If for some reason you can't turn it to the next hole to line it up loosen it completely and knock the spindle loose and tigten it up again.

Sorry for not clarifying. The Upper ball joint keeps spinning! I tightened it like the manual said, but it just keeps on spinning. I will try using the air impact wrench. I really appreciate you guys for the feedback. Only one guy in Augusta knew anything about screw-in ball joints! He also has a hemi roadrunner! I will be consulting him today, but still would really appreciate some feedback from my fellow /sixers!

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Don't ever take a fence down until you know why it was put up.
-Robert Frost (1874-1963)

Hang on... the ball joint just spins as you try to thread it into the control arm, or the stud sticking out the bottom of the ball joint just spins when you try to tighten the nut that goes on it? If the entire ball joint spins as you try to thread it into the control arm, I don't see an impact being of much help; I'd check the condition of your threads. If it's just the flexible stud spinning, yeah, and impact is just what you need.

The bolt with the castle nut isn't spinning. That part is stationary. When i attempt to tighten the ubj with the socket only the ubj head (part with the zerk fitting) spins continuously.

_________________
Don't ever take a fence down until you know why it was put up.
-Robert Frost (1874-1963)

Time to find another control arm (if you're sure the threads are engaged/started and it's seated).

D/W

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If it ain't broke, fix it!